Caste reservations figure prominently among the political class's vote-catching tools. So it isn't surprising that, barring the Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena, no political outfit has opposed the Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill concerning quota-based promotions for SCs/STs in government jobs, under consideration in the Rajya Sabha. Tellingly, even the SP wouldn't mind the legislation had OBCs come within its ambit. The BJP's demanded a few changes in the Bill as it stands, fearing reverse discrimination. But it hasn't questioned the policy of reservation in promotion in principle.

That's something we need to do. Professionalism in India's coddled bureaucracy is sorely lacking already. Unimpeded quota-linked promotions will further hit standards of service by promoting complacency in their beneficiaries and demoralisation in others. While there may be grounds for entry-level quota in employment, there's need for a merit-based reward system on the job. Unfortunately, the Bill's advocates seem bent on feeding a culture of mediocrity. Else, they wouldn't plan for the legislation to dilute Article 335 of the Constitution, which says SC/ST claims must be balanced with the need for administrative efficiency. Nor will criteria like backwardness and inadequate representation need to be proved to justify quota, as required by the Supreme Court.

Pushing SCs/STs up office hierarchies for considerations other than competence is a recipe for deepening caste bias and eroding team spirit in the workplace. Even meritorious SC/ST workers will be viewed - and resented - as unfairly favoured over more deserving candidates. The flash strike UP government employees launched Thursday over the Bill is an early indication of its divisive potential. Moreover, creating a precedent of this sort of positive discrimination for some social groups will embolden others, such as OBCs or minorities, to make similar demands.

This isn't to say traditionally disadvantaged groups don't require greater representation in bureaucracy's top ranks. But the approach to reservation should be bottom-up and, ideally, need-based. Spread of health, infrastructure and especially education should be top priority. Education's a core area where social disparities impact the economic prospects of underprivileged sections that lack easy access to opportunities and resources, be it academic training, learning aids or scholarships. Reservation won't fix this problem. What will is welfare focussed on empowerment. The goal should be to equip all Indians for a competitive job market that rewards ability across the board.

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Caste reservations figure prominently among the political class’s vote-catching tools. So it isn’t surprising that, barring the Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena, no political outfit has opposed the Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill concerning quota-based promotions for SCs/STs in government jobs, under consideration in the Rajya Sabha.